


By Your Side

by Kanero16



Category: IDOLiSH7 (Video Game)
Genre: Established Relationship, Hospitalization, Hurt/Comfort, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-09-14
Updated: 2020-09-14
Packaged: 2021-03-06 17:47:46
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,387
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26452849
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Kanero16/pseuds/Kanero16
Summary: 'Part of him didn’t want to see what was beyond that sliding door, didn’t want to see the hurt or pain that could be waiting on the other side.The other part just wanted to prove what his mind kept telling him was wrong.'Rinto is in the hospital and Banri pays him a visit.
Relationships: Okazaki Rinto/Oogami Banri
Kudos: 9
Collections: IDOLiSH7 Rarepairs Week 2020





	By Your Side

**Author's Note:**

> For i7 Rare Pairs week day two:  
> Illness/Injury / Koi no Kakera

Bare, white walls extended as far as his eyes could see, an unsettling feeling sinking in his stomach. When was the last time he had been in a hospital? It felt like it wasn’t that long ago, but if he were to look at a calendar it would prove him wrong. He followed the nurse down the hallway, which seemed to go on for far too long, until they reached the room they were looking for. That feeling in his stomach sank further as the nurse paused in front of the room and motioned for him to wait. The paper around the flowers he held crumpled as his hold around them tightened. Part of him didn’t want to see what was beyond that sliding door, didn’t want to see the hurt or pain that could be waiting on the other side.The other part just wanted to prove what his mind kept telling him was wrong. When the nurse came back out, she told him he could enter the room. He thanked her with a smile before stepping through the doorway. He couldn’t see the one laying in the bed right away, a privacy curtain blocking his view. It took everything within him to keep walking, to keep going forward. He announced himself before pushing past the curtain, his breath catching in his throat as his eyes took in the scene. 

Rinto was laying on the bed propped in a partial sitting position, the TV remote in his hand as he flipped through the channels. Bandages adorned his body in various places; his arm, his hand, his face. He seemed to be in good spirits despite looking like a mummy out of a museum.

“Banri?” Rinto directed his attention to him. 

“Hey.” Banri made himself properly enter the room. “How are you feeling?”

Rinto chuckled, placing the controller on the bed beside him.

“To be honest I’ve been better.”

Banri frowned. What was he expecting the answer to be? That he was feeling so good that he could climb a mountain? Banri should’ve never asked that question. What made him more upset was that he understood too well what it was like to sit in a bed that wasn’t your own, to lay under the unfamiliar ceiling and wonder when you would be well enough to leave, only to feel even worse the next morning. He took a deep breath, closing his eyes for a moment. Getting upset about it wasn’t going to help Rinto get better. He placed his bag by the makeshift nightstand as he unwrapped the flowers he brought. The flowers were bright and vibrant, just like Rinto. Banri had hoped that it would bring some life into the dull room he had to sit in, to bring some light to Rinto’s eyes when he woke up and saw them sitting next to him.

Banri arranged the flowers in the vase the hospital provided and gave them some water, placing them on the nightstand once he was done. 

“They’re beautiful.” 

Rinto was looking at him, a smile hanging on his lips. That smile of his has always been contagious, Banri feeling one creep onto his face. He pulled a chair up to the bed, extending a hand for Rinto to take. There was hesitation, Rinto raising a bandaged hand before laying it on the bed again. Banri had to tell himself not to frown.

“Does it hurt?” Banri set his hand next to Rinto’s.

Rinto half shook his head, his fingers reaching out to brush Banri’s hand. Banri wanted to take his hand, to tell him everything was going to be fine and that the pain and discomfort would all be a distant memory soon. But he couldn’t bring himself to do anything of the sort. 

“It’s almost funny how the universe works.” Rinto spoke. “The last time I was in a hospital you were the one admited.”

There was that sinking feeling again. That knotting in his stomach that made him feel nauseous, the overwhelming urge to get up and walk far away, to put as much distance in between them as possible. He didn’t want to think yet his mind was racing, telling him that this was somehow his fault. He knew it wasn’t, but how could he convince himself? He didn’t want to keep looking up and seeing Rinto wrapped in a ball of cotton, to see that half smile that he knew had to be forced just because he was there. 

“Banri?” Rinto’s voice broke his thoughts. “What’s wrong?”

Banri stared at him, almost dumbfounded at the question he was asked. Rinto hooked a finger around his pinky and pulled his hand closer.

“It’s okay. I may be a little unsightly, but I’m still here.”

Banri felt the first of many tears that would fall on his cheek. Why did Rinto have to say it like that? He leaned over the bed, gentle as he came to hold Rinto’s fingers with both of his hands. His tears were quiet as they rolled down his face and onto the bed below. He tried to hold back his sobs as best he could, but one managed to slip out every now and then. 

“I’m sorry…” Rinto spoke.

Banri felt his whole body shake.

“It must have been rough on you. I’m sorry you had to come here.”

Rinto held onto his hands, the cotton from the bandage making the once soft touch unpleasant. Banri took a breath, pleading with his body to stop crying, to stop feeling such emotion. He picked his head up.

“I thought you were gone.”

“Don’t say stuff like that.”   
“I really did.” Banri gave Rinto’s hand a squeeze. “When Yuki told me you were in an accident I thought he was joking. But then you didn’t answer my texts or return my calls.” 

Banri let himself trail off as his body gave another involuntary shake. At this rate he was mumbling more than he was talking. He suppressed another sob, his chest starting to become sore.

Rinto used what strength he had to push himself up into a more upright position. He pulled at Banri’s hand.

“Come here.” Rinto wiped at a tear that had escaped. “You’re exhausted.”

Exhausted was an understatement. Banri couldn’t remember the last time he had gotten proper sleep. Work had him busy and after hearing about Rinto he just couldn’t get his head to turn off, couldn’t get his body to relax for more than a minute. He was hesitant to come any closer, worried that whatever he may do would hurt Rinto. But Rinto’s smile was reassurance that he was going to be okay. So Banri moved his chair closer and rested his head on Rinto’s lap.

“I gave you quite a scare. I really am sorry.”

Rinto’s hand rubbed at his back. The comfort given with each stroke chipped away at the intense feelings he had before. Tears still escaped here and there, but Rinto was there to catch them. His eyes were sore and he felt bad for keeping them closed. He did come to see Rinto after all. 

The anxiety and the worry were seeping away with each passing breath. The longer he laid there, the better he started to feel. Rinto really did have a healing effect on him, even if he wasn’t the one who needed the healing. He didn’t know when he fell asleep, or if what he did was even considered sleep, but when he felt his eyes open he was glad to see that Rinto was still there. He would really have to work on not worrying over him in the days to come. For now he deemed it was acceptable. 

“What’s that smile for?” Rinto questioned him as he felt it spread across his face.

It had been awhile since they had last shared a kiss and the world seemed to align once more when he pushed his lips to Rinto’s. It was more than welcomed on the receiving end, Rinto sighing into the kiss. Banri pulled back and returned to his place on Rinto’s lap.

“Cute.” He commented as Rinto’s face became coated in a pink hue.

“Stop it! You’ll make my heart rate jump.” 

Laughter filled the room before they fell back into a silence that only they could share.

**Author's Note:**

> Thanks for reading! ♥
> 
> Kudos and/or comments are always appreciated!


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